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Congratulations to our local MP Mark Mitchell and his partner Sarah Mattson who were married over the weekend at Kūaotunu on the Coromandel Peninsula. Mark shared some thoughts with Hibiscus Matters on how they met and their recent nuptials.
“From time to time, people ask about life outside of Parliament – what keeps you grounded when the days get busy and the diary fills up. For me, the answer is simple – just being back home on the Coast, walking the dogs with Sarah on Ōrewa Beach, catching up with family and friends, and watching some local sport.
Sarah and I first crossed paths through a community initiative in Ōrewa called Shared Vision Rodney, a group focused on promoting mental health and wellbeing across the Hibiscus Coast. Sarah was volunteering on the committee, and I attended one of the meetings in my role as the local MP.
I was really impressed with Sarah and her work with Shared Vision.
Life went on and, like many things, time passed before our paths crossed again. A couple of years later I posted a memorial to my friend and colleague Constable Murray Stretch who was killed in the line of duty in Mangakino in 1999. I had been a police dog handler at the time and was called out from Taupo to back Murray up. When I arrived, Murray had been killed. This was a very difficult time for his family, friends, and colleagues, and hit me very hard. Sarah being an ex-police officer sent me a really lovely message and I suggested a coffee. A few weeks later we met and six hours later we were still in the cafe.
We got engaged in July 2024 at the Fat Oyster in Ōrewa and this weekend we officially tied the knot in Kūaotunu. Sarah and I bought a section with some small cabins on it in Kuaotunu where her parents, brother and nieces live. We don’t get there often but love it when we do.
We have created happy memories with family and friends, and Luke’s Kitchen has been a big part of that.
We know how lucky we are that the Coast is our home and community and we don’t ever want that to change.”
